Trouser supporting means



March 21, 1961 A. PANEPINTO 2,975,431

TROUSER SUPPORTING MEANS Filed April 9. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mw E INVENTOR ANTHONY PANE PINTO BY W g ATTORNEY March 21, 1961 A. PANEPlNTO TROUSER SUPPORTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1959 INVENTOR A NTHONY PA NEPI NTO BY 3 (23M ATTORNEY United States Patent TROUSER SUPPORTING MEANS Anthony Panepinto, 185 Efner St., Bulfalo, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 805,227

1 Claim. (Cl. 2-301) This invention relates to a novel trouser or garment supporting means. More specifically, this invention resides in a unique construction for a trouser supporting means.

This invention provides a supporting means which may be converted from a pair of suspenders to two waist belts. This construction is quite desirable in that a purchaser may obtain in the same piece of apparel a pair of suspenders and two belts. The specifics of this invention will be more clearly set out in the ensuing discussion.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel suspender construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a suspender construction that may be easily converted into two waist belts.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a trouser supporting means both more economical and of more utility than the supporting means of the prior art.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon a further reading of this disclosure.

The crux of this invention is the novel concept of converting a pair of suspenders to two waist belts. It is not intended that the invention be limited to the construction illustrated in the drawings. This construction is meant to illustrate and not limit the invention.

In order that the invention be more easily understood, it will be described with reference to the attached drawmg.

Figures I, IA, IB, IC are front views of applicants trouser supporting means.

Figures II and IIA are close-up views of the male or hook portion of applicants supporting means.

Figures III and IIIA are close-up views of the female or slot portion of applicants supporting means.

Figure IV is a close-up view of the hook and slot portion of applicants supporting means in an engaged or locked position as shown on line of Figure I.

Figures V, VA, VI, VIA and VIB are alternate constructions of applicants supporting means.

Referring first to Figure I of the drawing, the suspenders or supporting means of this invention comprise five principle members, shoulder straps 1, removable connecting means 2, slotted clasp 3, hook clasp 4, and adjusting means 9. The five members comprise a pair of suspenders as shown when straps 1 are secured together by connecting means 2. When connecting means 2 is removed, suspender straps 1 are converted into two belts which may be worn around the waist to support trousers, skirts or the like. At opposite ends of straps 1 are found two clasps which form both the clasps for suspender wear and the buckle portion when the suspenders are converted into waist belts. Clasp 3 comprises the conventional suspender clasp with an extending portion containing a slot or female receiving member. Clasp 4 comprises the conventional clasp with an extending portion containing a hook or male locking member. The drawing illustrates clasps 3 and 4 as having suspender clips with the hook and slot portion integral with the top portion of the clasp member. It should be understood that said conventional clasps with a separate third top piece (not integrated with .the tooth portion member of the clasp) from which the extending hook and slot portions extend are within the scope of this invention. On both straps 1 are found conven tional adjusting means 9. It is, of course, unnecessary to use any adjusting means if the straps 1 are elastic or if no adjusting means are desired. Connecting means 2 is removable merely by sliding straps 1 through slits 11. When the connecting means 2 is removed, the pair of suspenders are converted into two waist belts 12 and 13.

Figure II shows a close-up view of male or book clasp member. Hook clasp 4 comprises the conventional suspender clasp 5 with an extending portion 6 which forms the hook or male member when the suspender straps are used as waist belts. Hook 6 is adapted to engage and lock with female member 3. Although extending portion 6 is illustrated as a U-shaped hook it may, of course, take any desired shape which will act as an engaging device. Shown in Figure II is also the hook clasp 4 in a closed position 13 which is its position when used as a waist belt or in clasping the top of the trousers when used as a pair of suspenders.

Figure III illustrates a close-up view of the female or slot clasp member. Slot clasp 3 comprises the conventional suspender clasp 7 with an extending portion -8 which forms the slot or female member when the suspender straps are used as waist belts. Slot 8 is adapted to receive and lock with hook member 6. Although extending portion 8 is illustrated as an apertured member it may take any desired shape which will act as a receiving member, for example it may be a looped wire, a raised catch, etc. Shown in Figure III is also the slot clasp 3 in a closed position 14 which is its position when used as a waist belt or in clasping the top of the trousers when used as a pair of suspenders. Shoulder straps 1 may be attached to the clasps 3 and 4 by any convenient means. Although clasps 3 and 4 are shown with teeth 15, it would not depart from the spirit of the invention to use. clasps without teeth members.

Figure IV is a detailed sectional view of line 10-10 of Figure I. This figure shows the position of clasps 3 and 4 when the individual suspender straps are used as waist belts as shown in Figure I. As mentioned above, any locking means adaptable to connect clasps 3 and 4 may be used without departing from this invention. The illustrated hook and slot members are merely shown to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. Applicant has encompassed in his invention various means of locking the two strap ends. To name a few that may be used in place of the illustrated bookslot means are: snapping means, single clasping means such as the clasps shown, tie cord means, hook-loop means, belt buckle means, clamping means, lacing means, groove and prong means, and slip-clasping means simil-ar to a tie clasp. The above mentioned single clasping means consists of merely using the suspender clasp to clamp on the opposite end of the suspender strap. The single clasp would then act as the belt buckle.

Figures V and VI illustrate alternate constructions of the subject of this invention. Figure V shows the same construction as in Figure I except that the straps in Fig- -ure V are arranged in an X-position. Connecting means 2 also would take a different form to adapt itself for use with the X-construction or arrangement.

Figure VI shows an embodiment of this invention without clasps at the end of the shoulder straps 1. The

belt connection means consists of overlapping apertured tongues 16 and 17 so that the button holes 18 are aligned one over the other. They may then be buttoned around button 19 to act as the waist belt connector. Again the connecting means 2' here would take a shape adapted for this particular construction.

The various figures in the drawing have been merely for illustrative purposes. The specific construction of this invention as illustrated and described may be varied in many respects without departing from the spirit of this invention. Many other modifications and ramifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon a read ing of applicants disclosure. These are intended to be embodied in this invention.

I claim:

A suspender supporting means adapted to be converted into two waist belts, comprising in combination two shoulder straps, removable means for retaining said straps in position, strap adjusting means, and a trouser clasp member positioned at each end of said straps, one of said clasp members consisting of an inner portion having a tooth jaw and an outer portion having a hook member,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,587,126 Ellington Feb. 26, 1952 2,777,134 Kaufman Jan. 15, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 177,917 Germany Nov. 5, 1906 601,897 France Dec. 11, 1925 742,438 1955 Great Britain Dec. 30, 

